West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-04-15

it be proposed to act independently
of the provision by Congress, then
each House must vote separately.
There can be no joint assembly ex-
cept under the Act of Congress.
These are only some of the ques.
tions which suggest themselves TO
all who take the trouble to consider
this subject. 1t is very amusing to
observe that papers like the Rich
mond Dispatch and the Wheeling
Register express the opinion that
there is no embarrassment to hinder
the immediate election of Senator
the moment our Legislature meets.
This blissful Inconsistencies of ig-
norance is truly refreshing. Intel
ligent men in Virginia are accus-
toned to read editorials in the Dis
patch, if they bear the ear-mark of
being written by its editor, with the
same zest that they watch the an
tics of the clown in a circus. Here,
in West Virginia, when the editor of
the Register scatters his diamonds
of learning and pearls of wisdom we
stand dumb with admiration as did
the Israelites while Solomon solved
problems too difficult for the I'M
derstanding of ordinary mortals.
The Legislature should promptly
refer this whole subject to joint
committee and such committee
should invite discussion Of it by
the ablest men in the State. The
Legislature needs all the light pos
sible and such gentlemen as Hay
mond, Morrow, Jno. j. Davis, Quar-
rier, Mr.. Hubbard, of Wheeling and
Judge Brown, would doubtless be
able to give tee committee vast
amount of valuable information. 1t
is very certain that questions are
presented, entirely too difficult for
the average politician who obtains
position by skilful electioneering
and pandering to the ignorance and
prejudiccs of thOughtless mob.
This is an emergency that requires
brains and learning. The ordinary
politician is no more qualified to ex-
press an opinion on these questions
than to decide dispute about q
Greek idiom. This is an occasion
when the millionaire finds that mon
ey is not substitute for learning.
Several distinct classes Of ques-
]
tions are presented. Our State Con-
stitution restricts the Legislature to
business appertaining to the sub
jects mentioned in the proclamation
of the Governor. This provision
brings up inquiries heretofore
considered in these columns.
But there are other inquiries which
would arise if the proclamation had
included the election Of Senator
Some of them we have already indi-
Gated and there are many others
which occur to us. For example
l. Will the Legislature fill va.
cancy occasioned by the expiration
of Lucas's appointment or will il
fill vacancy occasioned by the eX-
piration of Camden's term? We
have not the slightest doubt that
the United States Senate will hold
to it's former decisions and decide
that Lucas was properly appointed
2. If the Legislature again fails
to elect, cannot the governor appoint
a successor to Mr.. Lucas? Apart
from the dictum of Mr.. Edmunds
there is nothing in the books to pre-
vent his doing so, and we are very
confident that should the Legislature
fail to elect and should the Governor
a second time appoint Mr.. Lucas he
will be seated when Congress again
meets and he will hold his seat un-
til the Legislature convenes in Jan
uary, 1889.